Basketball was invented in 1891 in Springfield Massachusetts. The Game was invented by Dr. James Naismith. He had to think of a game to be played indoors during the cold New England winters. He was only given 14 days by Dr. Luther Gulick, head of physical education for the school of Christian workers. So he thought up this game in a YMCA in Springfield by using two peach baskets and a soccer ball. He decided to hang two peach baskets ten feet high. The object of the game was to get the soccer ball in the basket. Naismith wanted the game to be based on skill rather then strength. The first game of basketball was played with eighteen men nine players on each team playing at the same time. Naismith came up with the thirteen original rules which are.

1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.

2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands.

3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowances to be made for a man who catches the ball when running if he tries to stop.

4. The ball must be held by the hands. The arms or body must not be used for holding it.

5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this rule by any player shall come as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.

6. A foul is striking the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3, 4, and such as described in Rule 5.

7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime making a foul).

8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do no t